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Syntactic Complexity andSyntactic Complexity and The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter
Hawthorne's Hawthorne's The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter is typically one of the is typically one of the most challenging books secondary students read.most challenging books secondary students read.
One common challenge to a modern reader is the typical One common challenge to a modern reader is the typical
length of Hawthorne's sentences. length of Hawthorne's sentences.
His initial sentence is 45 words, and it is relatively simple His initial sentence is 45 words, and it is relatively simple to find many examples of sentences of more than 75 to find many examples of sentences of more than 75 words. words.
Why we have come to expect shorter sentences? Why we have come to expect shorter sentences?
““Kernel Sentences"Kernel Sentences" A kernel sentence is a sentence that contains A kernel sentence is a sentence that contains
only a noun and a verb. only a noun and a verb. (I walk.) (I walk.)
Expanded sentences are kernel sentences plus Expanded sentences are kernel sentences plus adjectives and adverbs (describing words). adjectives and adverbs (describing words). (I walk quickly.)(I walk quickly.)
These sentences help the writer express These sentences help the writer express thoughts that make the sentences clear and thoughts that make the sentences clear and interesting to the reader. interesting to the reader.
Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence 1Sentence 1
The woman was tall.The woman was tall. The woman was young. (WITH)The woman was young. (WITH) The woman had a figure of elegance.The woman had a figure of elegance. The elegance was perfect.The elegance was perfect. The elegance was on a large scale.The elegance was on a large scale.
Hawthorne's original sentence: Hawthorne's original sentence: – The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect
elegance, on a large scale.elegance, on a large scale.
Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence 2Sentence 2
She had hair.She had hair. Her hair was dark. (AND)Her hair was dark. (AND) Her hair was abundant.Her hair was abundant. Her hair was so glossy it threw off the sunshine with a gleam. (AND)Her hair was so glossy it threw off the sunshine with a gleam. (AND) She had a face. (WHICH, BESIDE BEING)She had a face. (WHICH, BESIDE BEING) Her face was beautiful from regularity of feature, (and)Her face was beautiful from regularity of feature, (and) Her face was beautiful from richness of complexion.Her face was beautiful from richness of complexion. Her face had the impressiveness.Her face had the impressiveness. The impressiveness was belonging to a brow and eyes.The impressiveness was belonging to a brow and eyes. Her brow was marked.Her brow was marked. Her eyes were deep (AND)Her eyes were deep (AND) Her eyes were blackHer eyes were black
Hawthorne's original sentenceHawthorne's original sentence
She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes.brow and deep black eyes.
Sample ImitationSample Imitation
The guitarist was talented.The guitarist was talented. The guitarist was cool. (WITH)The guitarist was cool. (WITH) The guitarist had a style of blues.The guitarist had a style of blues. The blues was jazzy.The blues was jazzy. The blues was from long ago.The blues was from long ago.
The cool guitarist was talented, with a jazzy style The cool guitarist was talented, with a jazzy style of blues from long ago.of blues from long ago.
PURTIAN NEW ENGLANDPURTIAN NEW ENGLAND
MAN CANNOT ESCAPE ORIGINAL SIN.MAN CANNOT ESCAPE ORIGINAL SIN.
GOD IS OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, GOD IS OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, AND OMNIPRESENT.AND OMNIPRESENT.
FAITH IS GIVEN TO MAN.FAITH IS GIVEN TO MAN.
ELECTION (PREDESTINATION)ELECTION (PREDESTINATION)
PURTIAN NEW ENGLANDPURTIAN NEW ENGLAND
GOD’S ELECT (CHURCH OFFICIALS) GOD’S ELECT (CHURCH OFFICIALS) CONTROL THE STATE (GOD’S CONTROL THE STATE (GOD’S DAMNED).DAMNED).
ENFORCE CORRECT OR ENFORCE CORRECT OR SUPERFICIALLY CORRECT BEHAVIORSUPERFICIALLY CORRECT BEHAVIOR
PURTIAN NEW ENGLANDPURTIAN NEW ENGLAND
ESTABLISH RIGID CONTROL OVER ESTABLISH RIGID CONTROL OVER EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND BUSINESSBUSINESS
THEOCRACY = CHURCH AND STATE THEOCRACY = CHURCH AND STATE ARE SYNONYMOUS.ARE SYNONYMOUS.
HAWTHORNE’S WOMENHAWTHORNE’S WOMEN
STRONG, INDEPENDENT-MINDED AND STRONG, INDEPENDENT-MINDED AND SELF-CONFIDENTSELF-CONFIDENT
REDEMPTIVE FIGURES FOR MENREDEMPTIVE FIGURES FOR MEN VICTIMIZED AT THE HANDS OF MENVICTIMIZED AT THE HANDS OF MEN HE ALLOWS HIS OLDER FEMALE HE ALLOWS HIS OLDER FEMALE
CHARACTERS TO BE CENTRAL FIGURES.CHARACTERS TO BE CENTRAL FIGURES. HE QUESTIONS THE ROLE OF DOMESTIC HE QUESTIONS THE ROLE OF DOMESTIC
FEMALE CHARACTERS AND THEIR FEMALE CHARACTERS AND THEIR EMOTIONS AND ABILITIES OF REASONEMOTIONS AND ABILITIES OF REASON
HAWTHORNE’S STYLEHAWTHORNE’S STYLE
PRECISE DICTIONPRECISE DICTION
SKILLFUL DEVELOPMENT OF TONE SKILLFUL DEVELOPMENT OF TONE AND MOODAND MOOD
VIVID IMAGERYVIVID IMAGERY
NO SLANG, VULGARISMSNO SLANG, VULGARISMS
HAWTHORNE’S STYLEHAWTHORNE’S STYLE
BEAUTIFUL METAPHORS, SIMILES, AND BEAUTIFUL METAPHORS, SIMILES, AND SYMBOLSSYMBOLS
CLEAN, CLEAR, PRECISE LANGUAGECLEAN, CLEAR, PRECISE LANGUAGE
ALL CHARACTERS SOUND LIKE ALL CHARACTERS SOUND LIKE HAWTHORNE. HAWTHORNE.
LANGUAGE ALWAYS THE SAMELANGUAGE ALWAYS THE SAME
HAWTHORNE’S STYLEHAWTHORNE’S STYLE
TOO MANY COMMASTOO MANY COMMAS
RAMBLING SENTENCESRAMBLING SENTENCES
TOO MUCH SUMMARY; NOT ENOUGH TOO MUCH SUMMARY; NOT ENOUGH CONVERSATIONCONVERSATION
METAPHORSMETAPHORS
“… “…FOUND SOMETHING CONGENIAL FOUND SOMETHING CONGENIAL IN THE SOIL THAT HAD SO EARLY IN THE SOIL THAT HAD SO EARLY BORNE THE BLACK FLOWER OF BORNE THE BLACK FLOWER OF CIVILIZED SOCIETY, A PRISON.”CIVILIZED SOCIETY, A PRISON.”
“… “…A WILD ROSE-BUSH,…IN TOKEN A WILD ROSE-BUSH,…IN TOKEN THAT THE DEEP HEART OF NATURE THAT THE DEEP HEART OF NATURE COULD PITY AND BE KIND TO HIM.”COULD PITY AND BE KIND TO HIM.”
METAPHORSMETAPHORS
“ “THIS ROSE BUSH…MAY THIS ROSE BUSH…MAY SERVE...TO SYMBOLIZE SOME SERVE...TO SYMBOLIZE SOME SWEET MORAL BLOSSOM.”SWEET MORAL BLOSSOM.”
“…“…SHOULD HAVE THE HANDLING SHOULD HAVE THE HANDLING OF SUCH MALEFACTRESSES AS OF SUCH MALEFACTRESSES AS THIS HESTER PRYNNE…IF THE THIS HESTER PRYNNE…IF THE HUSSY…”HUSSY…”
METAPHORSMETAPHORS
“ “MADAME HESTER…BUT SHE—MADAME HESTER…BUT SHE—THE NAUGHTY BAGGAGE…”THE NAUGHTY BAGGAGE…”
“…“…HER HANDIWORK BECAME…HER HANDIWORK BECAME…THE FASHION.”THE FASHION.”
SIMILESSIMILES
“ “IT MIGHT BE, TO, THAT A WITCH, IT MIGHT BE, TO, THAT A WITCH, LIKE OLD MISTRESS HIBBINS…”LIKE OLD MISTRESS HIBBINS…”
“…“…WHEN THE MAN-LIKE WHEN THE MAN-LIKE ELIZABETH…” ELIZABETH…”
““WHY, LOOK YOU, SHE MAY COVER WHY, LOOK YOU, SHE MAY COVER IT WITH A BROOCH, OR SUCH LIKE IT WITH A BROOCH, OR SUCH LIKE HEATHENISH ADORNMENT,…”HEATHENISH ADORNMENT,…”
SIMILESSIMILES
“… “…THERE APPEARED, IN THE FIRST THERE APPEARED, IN THE FIRST PLACE, LIKE A BLACK SHADOW PLACE, LIKE A BLACK SHADOW EMERGING INTO THE SUNSHINE THE EMERGING INTO THE SUNSHINE THE GRIM AND GRISLY PRESENCE OF GRIM AND GRISLY PRESENCE OF THE TOWN-BEADLE,…”THE TOWN-BEADLE,…”
““AND NEVER HAD HESTER PRYNNE AND NEVER HAD HESTER PRYNNE APPEARED MORE LADY-LIKE…”APPEARED MORE LADY-LIKE…”
SIMILESSIMILES
“…“…THIS SCAFFOLD CONSTITUTED A THIS SCAFFOLD CONSTITUTED A PORTION OF A PENAL MACHINE…BUT PORTION OF A PENAL MACHINE…BUT WAS HELD…TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AN WAS HELD…TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AN AGENT, IN THE PROMOTION OF AGENT, IN THE PROMOTION OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AS EVER WAS GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AS EVER WAS THE GUILLOTINE AMONG THE THE GUILLOTINE AMONG THE TERRORISTS OF FRANCE.”TERRORISTS OF FRANCE.”
SIMILESSIMILES
““A WRITHING HORROR TWISTED A WRITHING HORROR TWISTED ITSELF ACROSS HIS FEATURES, ITSELF ACROSS HIS FEATURES, LIKE A SNAKE GLIDING SWIFTLY LIKE A SNAKE GLIDING SWIFTLY OVER THEM,…”OVER THEM,…”
““THY ACTS ARE LIKE MERCY…THY ACTS ARE LIKE MERCY…BUT THY WORDS INTERPRET BUT THY WORDS INTERPRET THEE AS A TERROR!”THEE AS A TERROR!”
SIMILESSIMILES
“…“…THERE WAS AN AIR ABOUT THERE WAS AN AIR ABOUT THIS YOUNG MINISTER---AN THIS YOUNG MINISTER---AN APPREHENSIVE, A STARTLED, A APPREHENSIVE, A STARTLED, A HALF-FRIGHTENED LOOK—AS OF HALF-FRIGHTENED LOOK—AS OF A BEING WHO FELT HIMSELF A BEING WHO FELT HIMSELF QUITE ASTRAY AND AT A LOSS IN QUITE ASTRAY AND AT A LOSS IN THE PATHWAY OF HUMAN THE PATHWAY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE,…”EXISTENCE,…”
ALLUSIONSALLUSIONS
““I KNOW NOT LETHE NOR I KNOW NOT LETHE NOR NEPENTHE,…”NEPENTHE,…”
““TAKE HEED HOW THOU DENIEST TAKE HEED HOW THOU DENIEST TO HIM—WHO, PERCHANCE, HATH TO HIM—WHO, PERCHANCE, HATH NOT THE COURAGE TO GRASP IT NOT THE COURAGE TO GRASP IT FOR HIMSELF—THE BITTER, BUT FOR HIMSELF—THE BITTER, BUT WHOLESOME, CUP THAT IS NOW WHOLESOME, CUP THAT IS NOW PRESENTED TO THEY LIPS!”PRESENTED TO THEY LIPS!”
PERSONIFICATIONPERSONIFICATION
“ “HER ATTIRE…SEEMED TO HER ATTIRE…SEEMED TO EXPRESS THE ATTITUDE OF HER EXPRESS THE ATTITUDE OF HER SPIRIT, THE DESPERATE SPIRIT, THE DESPERATE RECKLESSNESS OF HER MOOD,…”RECKLESSNESS OF HER MOOD,…”
““A BLESSING ON THE RIGHTEOUS A BLESSING ON THE RIGHTEOUS COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS, COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE INIQUITY IS DRAGGED OUT WHERE INIQUITY IS DRAGGED OUT INTO THE SUNSHINE.”INTO THE SUNSHINE.”
WHAT’S IMPORTANT?WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
Copy an important Copy an important line or lines from the line or lines from the reading.reading.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT?WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
Restate the lines in Restate the lines in your own words.your own words.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT?WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
Why are these lines Why are these lines important to the important to the passage?passage?
WHAT’S IMPORTANT?WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
Why are these lines Why are these lines important to you?important to you?
